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Hindustan Contessa
The Hindustan Contessa was a model of car manufactured by Hindustan Motors(HM) of India. It was based on the GM Vauxhall Victor FE that was made till 1979 (called VX Series in the last years of production). When introduced in 1983, it was one of the few Indian manufactured luxury cars in the market. One of its few indigenous competitors was the short-lived Standard 2000 which was based on the Rover SD1. The Contessa was a popular choice amongst government officials. Contessa production ended in 2002. History By the late 1970s, HM was ready to introduce a more modern car in the Indian market after having produced the age-old Ambassador for three decades. They were successful in acquiring the production tooling and technology of the Vauxhall Victor, a car that was phased out in the UK in 1979. The production line was set up alongside the Ambassador at Uttarpara near Kolkata and the first test cars were ready by 1982. Series production was under way by the spring of 1984. To keep the costs under check, HM Contessa was introduced to the Indian market with the 50 hp (37 kW) 1.5 L BMC B-Series engine which also powered the Ambassador, in a slightly modified form along with the Hindustan four-speed gearbox. The press was upbeat about the roomy interior and plush ride, but was critical about the grossly underpowered engine and equally primitive gearbox. Top speed was only around 125 km/h (78 mph), although there was also version with higher 8.3:1 compression which offered 54 hp (40 kW). Isuzu-engined era By the late eighties, Hindustan had tied-up with Isuzu of Japan and started manufacturing their 1.8 L 4ZB1 petrol engine and matching five-speed gearbox for installation in the Contessa. The new car was called the Contessa Classic with distinctive "1.8L" badging on the trunk and fenders. The car was an instant success and set a new standard for refinement, power and luxury in the Indian market. The BMC-engined model was phased out in short order. Even though the Contessa was based on a 1970s Vauxhall Victor, the interior was surprisingly quiet and the seats were extremely comfortable for the passengers. It is to be noted that it was the second Indian made car to sport fully independent suspension after the Standard Herald. The basic design of Contessa has remained the same throughout its life, though HM made minor updates throughout the life of the model. Numerous features like fuel injection, power windows, power steering, fat bumpers, upgraded headlights, air conditioning etc. were introduced in phases to keep the car appealing to the premium customer. In the 1990s, Hindustan started manufacturing the 2.0 L Isuzu 4FC1 diesel engine that came to power the Contessa Diesel. It as well was an instant success. A turbodiesel version was also introduced a few years later. However, after the advent of more modern cars from GM, Ford, Fiat, Tata etc., the demand for the Contessa began to wane. Maruti Suzuki has grabbed the lion's share of the market and the intese competition between the new auto manufacturers brought modern fuel-efficient cars to the Indian marketplace in the late 1990s. The constant rise of petrol prices was the final nail in the coffin for the now comparably thirsty Contessa, which was phased out in 2002. Towards the end of production, there were three versions of this car; 1.8 GLX (Isuzu petrol), 2.0 DLX (Isuzu diesel) and 2.0 TD (Isuzu turbodiesel). There are a handful of enthusiasts that maintain Contessas in original condition. To them, only Contessa can be hailed as a true "Indian Muscle Car" owing to its rear-wheel drive platform and coke-bottle styling that could be perceived as reminiscent of American Muscle cars of the 1960s and 70s. Category:Post-war Category:Modern Category:Hindustan